From the Depths of One's Heart
by Twinnie
Summary: AU. Vader finds a 4 year old Luke on Tatooine and slowly comes to realize how much he cares for him. Warning: bad fic. COMPLETE
1. Chapter1

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Disclaimer : SW belongs to one of the greatest men in the Galaxy along with Paul Eluard and Weird Al Yankovic : George Lucas. We all owe them, even if most of you don't know who Paul Eluard was. You miss something, guys =) he really was a wonderful poet.

Anyway, I'm not making any money out of SW. *grin* my fics aren't good enough to be sold anyway =p

This story is in progress at the JC, under the name 'From the depths of his heart' (which title is better, by the way ? what do you think ?)

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Dedication : To Ashamaphone, for being that kind =)

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Summary : AU – Vader finds a 4-year-old Luke on Tatooine and slowly comes to realize how much he cares for him… 

__From the depths of one's heart__

He feinted before he struck again. He stared longly at Kenobi's eyes, letting his anger flow through him. 'Anger feeds the Dark Side' he thought, 'and the Dark Side makes me stronger. This time I will not fall. This time I will not fail'. Vader's anger seemed to be endless. He was attacking his former Master, his former friend, again and again, oblivious to their surroundings. His mind was screaming in rage, and Obi-Wan could not stand hearing the accusation. 'You did that to me 'Master' ; YOU did that to me ! I had a wife, I had a life, and you took it all away from me ! I trusted you though ; I trusted you...' 

The words echoed in Kenobi's mind, accusing. The pain was deeper since he knew Anakin had also lost his children. But that was not his fault ; the only thing he had done wrong had happened seventeen years ago, when he had promised his dying Master he would train Anakin Skywalker. He was not ready to have a Padawan. Yet the Coucil had agreed. Despite Master Yoda's advice, and despite Obi-Wan's own fears. The worst had happened, but nothing would change that now. Anakin was lost. He was a Sith Lord, and his physical condition did not let any hope for a redemption. Obi-Wan could not think of anything that would give his friend a reason to come back. Padmé's love was the Jedi's last hope, and Padmé was dead. Darth Vader would never feel love again.   
  
Mos Espa market was deserted. A very few things could provide fear to Mos Espa's cosmopolitan population, and Darth Vader holding a lightsaber was definitely one of them. The town had not changed much since Anakin Skywalker had left Tatooine all those years ago, but Vader did not notice. His attention still focused on Obi-Wan, he was striking and cutting without stopping. And Obi-Wan, whose guilt prevented from concentrating enough, knew he was going to die. He hoped that at least Luke was safe. Almost uncousciously, he reached out through the Force and touched the child's mind. 

  
All the people who saw Obi-Wan Kenobi's corpse remained struck by the astonished expression on his features. As if he was surprised by his own death. Though it was a well-know fact that Darth Vader had never been beaten by a Jedi. None of those people ever tought that Kenobi's surprise would come from something else ; something linked to the unexpected presence of a little boy in the town of Mos Espa this very day...   


  
Vader's anger had been endless while he was facing Kenobi, but now it was his surprise that was endless. Who was the child Kenobi's mind had touched before he died ? and why did he have such a strange feeling about this child ? 

He used the Force to touch him, somehow hoping that the child was Kenobi's son, which would provide a good explanation for the Jedi's care for him. His link with the boy was so strong that he could see what he was seeing. He was looking up at Owen Lars, and Vader felt his anger coming back. He really hated the man, even if his reasons for hating him belonged to another person, a teenager jaleous of the one his mother had raised. Still Vader hated Owen Lars, and his hate was stronger than anything else.   
  
Well, almost stronger than anything else.   
  
Curiousity flew through him as he realised he should not be able to see through anybody's mind when not trying to do so. The Force had to be strong with the boy ; this would explain Kenobi's fear for him. The former Jedi dug deep into the defenceless mind, until he was able to see the child's few memories of his mother. 

She was none of the Jedi Anakin had expected her to be.   
  
The expression Darth Vader's face took at this moment was strangely similar to the one Obi-Wan Kenobi's own face wore when he died.   
  
Pure astonishment. 

It couldn't be ! He couldn't be her son ! he couldn't be... his... Yet he had to aknowledge the idea. It was possible. But he wasn't sure at all of his feelings towards the idea that, maybe... he had a son. A whirl of antagonistic feelings invaded his mind. He was still there, in the middle of the street, his hand holding his lightsaber. The street was still so empty. But no longer was his heart. 

'And what if it is untrue ? What if I am wrong ?' Never did he wonder what he would do if the child was his child. The part of Anakin Skywalker that craved for love had been awoken again. 'No' he thought, 'I can't be this man anymore. I will kill Lars, and the boy... whatever. He will not be the first orphan to grow up on Tatooine.' *But if I kill Lars because of the anger Anakin Skywalker holds against him, then who will I be ?*   
  
Anyway, ignoring the whole situation was no longer an option. He had to know _why_ Obi-Wan had chosen Tatooine. Somehow he felt it was really important. And more, he had to know who the boy was. Even if he was to let him alone on the planet, he had to know if anybody could, someday, use the child against him. He _would not_ allow that. *Why would that happen anyway ? why would I care if the child died ? I don't know him he is your soul the only thing I have to prevent is his being trained in the ways of the Force by an enemy. No one will ever use my son's Force against me. My son...* 

It was a strange day. He had been so happy this morning when Uncle Owen had taken him to Mos Espa ! Sure, he had been in awe when he had seen all the strange beings wandering in the streets, but it was still funny. Then something had changed. The crowd was whispering something about someone, and the all of them seemed to be afraid. Uncle Owen obviously wanted to know what had happened, but he was afraid someone would hurt Luke if he asked. Luke was afraid. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.   
  
Then something very strange had happened. He had felt... well, he had felt somebody *touching* him. But the fact was that he was still with Uncle Owen, and nobody else had even brushed him. Yet he had felt a wramth. And he had felt... light. 

His four year old brain was deeply confused. Light is not something you can feel, it is something you see. He looked up at Uncle Owen, wanting to ask him what had just happened, when he froze. He had felt light before, but now he was experiencing... a deep grey. What had happened to the light ? And why was he so... cold... The grey was so deep it would seem black to almost everybody. Yet somehow Luke knew it wasn't all black. There was a bit of light in this grey. Just a bit, but this bit of light calmed the child. He would be okay.   
  
You'll be okay sweetheart, don't cry it will be okay A woman's voice. The kindest voice he had ever heard. A woman's face. The saddest face he had ever seen. She broadcasted love. And pain, oh, so much pain. Luke could not remember why. There was only one thing he could remember.   
  
The woman was his mother.   
  
And his mother was... gone...   
  
  
He pulled Uncle Owen't sleeve, trying to catch his attention. He wanted, he _needed_ to ask him what was going on. And he wanted to go away. He had the feeling something horrible would happen. Something... the word was huge. He often used it because the word had so many different meanings. And he felt he didn't want to know what meant the 'something' that might happen. It was as if a voice was talking into his mind Run, Luke, run ! and he had no choice but obeying, because the voice was speaking the Truth. But still he hadn't caught Uncle Owen's attention. He still hadn't told him to go away.   
And a black giant appeared at the corner of a street.   
  
Silence. Why was everything suddendly so silent ? And why did he have the feeling the man was looking for him... 

Silence everywhere. He was getting used to it. Silence around him and a grotesque breathing sound from him. Silence in the Force apart from the mind of a little boy. A little child ; *his* child. Fear. Fear attracts the fearful *I have to come to him, I have to soothe him, and I have to kill the damned farmer*   
Vader was very aware of the contradiction within his mind, but he decided to ignore it. Somehow, he believed that what was to happen was the will of the Force. He believed that no one, no Jedi, no Sith, could have any influence upon the events to come. These events... They would change three people's lives. He smirked under his mask. The most radical change would be the end of Lars' life.   
  
He approached the man and the boy, slowly, with mesured steps. Nobody would get on his way and soon the place was empty too. Though Lars was still there. He wanted to talk to the one in front of him but he found he couldn't. Something was preventing him from talking. 

'Something ?' Luke's little voice asked. 

That was the first time Vader ever heard the sound of his son's voice. And oddly enough, he was deeply moved. What was thrilling was the accent, *his* accent -- Anakin's. The shortness of the word could not prevent the attentive man from hearing it. That was an accent pulled out of the past, an accent coming from the depths of another life, a life burried in the depths of his heart. The accent of a Tatooine slave are you an angel who was no longer allowed to exist. 

The boy he had been was alive in the other boy. The sandy blonde hair, the blue eyes, they were all his. Despite his will, Skywalker was still there, embodied by the seed he was unaware he had sown. And Darth Vader felt relieved Skywalker was still alive somewhere. He stopped himself before his thoughts went too far and called the Dark Side of the Force to him.   
  
Luke looked up at the man when the strange feeling came back and felt Uncle Owen letting go of his hand. He turned his little face towards his guardian, then looked at Vader again once the strange feeling had left. The Dark Lord knelt down beside him.

'Will you come with me little one ?' 

Many different feelings reached Luke's mind, so much different feelings that his head was dizzy. But it was good, and pleasant ; he smiled up at the man. 

'Yes. I will come with you'. 

The shock of what Luke said made Owen Lars find his voice back : 'What ! Luke, you can't...' 

Vader resumed his hold on Lars' throat. He had been strangling the man through the Force, he had even meant to kill him, but something had gone wrong. Could it be the child ? 

No, it obviously was not.   
  
'You are dead, Kenobi. You do not really hope you can hold my powers, do you ?'   
  
He found that it was hard to talk to an empty space. However, as his grip on Lars weakened once more, he understood his guessing wasn't too far from reality. The Force presence of his old master was filling his senses. It threatened to take once more Luke away from him. No, he would not let that happen.   
  
Owen had somehow managed to free himself during Vader's inner talk. His first move had been to catch Luke's hand back, and to pull the boy behind him. He wouldn't be safer that way, but it still made Owen feel better. He did have to talk with Vader though, else the boy would never be safe again. 

'Anakin, listen...'

Vader's head jumped up. Not only had the man broken his grip once more, but he had also _dared_ calling him... 

Meaning to end the discussion as quickly as possible, Vader called the Dark Side once more. He suddendly realized why he had to struggle so much to use the Force.   
  
The bastard...   
  
'This anchor to my son will not last long Obi-Wan, believe me. I will take care of it'. 

'So you can still take care of something ?' 

Vader's anger rose to no end. How could his master accuse him of... Of what ? Why was he angry by the way ? because his _former_ master had stated out loud the fact that, as a Dark Sider, he didn't care ? I care His anger fell and he felt he had all wrong. Why, being angry at the statement would be an implicit acceptance that he had at least _wanted_ to care. Though remaining calm would prevent him from using the Force, and hence destroying the anchor. Both ways Kenobi won.   
  
'You cannot destroy that anchor, Darth'. 

That was everything Vader needed to hear. He called he Dark Side again and this time he did manage to break the anchor -- or so he thought. He also killed Owen. Luke looked at his guardian, dumbfounded.   
  
'Dya still come with me ?' 

Falling back into the old Tatooine accent, he mused. Would get rid of that later.   
Luke found his voice back to ask saddly 'W-w-what does he have ?' 

'Nothing. He's asleep, but will soon wake up *in another realm*. C'mon'.   
  
He started his way back to the shuttle and turned on his heels when he realized Luke was not following him. *You will forget him soon, child.* 

'Come on !'   
The child was still trying to make up his mind and take a decision.

'Do you really want to remain stuck on this dustball of a planet forever ?'   
Luke thought about it for a while and he found that he didn't. He also found that he did trust the man in black. He then realized all the implications of the man's words : he was leaving Tatooine ! He would see what a spaceship was like, he would fly among the stars ! A sky walker...   
  
Eager to see the ship, he ran to the man and reached for his hand. Vader hesitated before taking it, then resumed his way back to the shuttle. 

  
Life came back into Mos Espa's streets. People of all species started wandering again here and there. Fights resumed, the strongs still praying upon the weaks. The way it had always been. Later that evening, a woman cried her dead husband and her missing child.   
  
The doctors who examined Owen Lars' corpse could not find what he was dead of. No one was to know what had happened of his adoptive child before a long, long time. 


	2. Chapter2

Never did Darth Vader's men dare criticize any of the Dark Lord's actions

__From the depths of one's heart__

Never did Darth Vader's men dare criticize any of the Dark Lord's actions. Never did they dare express their surprise or disagreement -- they knew better than that. Though for the first time in years, Vader could feel surprise and disagreement emanating from his men. More, he could _see_ it -- from their behaviour. He would not tolerate that.   
  
The child still clinging to his hand, the Dark Lord was heading towards the passenger compartment of the shuttle. The child was the source of his men's feelings. He seemed out of place, his sandy hair and white clothes contrasting strangely with the deep grey of the shuttle. The child, concentrating on following the Dark Lord, did not pay any attention to the crew. His thoughts still were on the space trip, Vader knew. It was surprising that he had not complained about his being separated of his guardians yet. He probably had not understood how definitive the separation would be. Vader wished he didn't have to separe the child from those he thought were his family. Splitted families suffered too much -- he had seen many examples of that during his time with the Jedi. That was one of the things he resented them for. Chasing the thought away from his mind before he started to think of his own mother and wife, he turned towards an officer.   
'Tell the pilot to take us back to the Adamant'.   
'Yes my Lord'.   
  
Vader pulled his son to a seat close to one of the windows. He sat beside him and fastened his seat-belt, slightly surprised when the child did the same. Already mimecking, he mused. That was interesting.   
The shuttle took off and Luke craned his neck to have a better view. Vader loosened the boy's belt, and kept hold of his arm while the child was standing up on his seat. An interesting view for the crew members.   
A pink and yellow globe appeared through the window and the child gaped in surprise. 

'Is that Tatooine ?' Turning around when he recieved no answer, the boy noticed that Vader's grip on his arm was not as tight as he'd thought. He asked again 'Is that Tatooine ?' 

Vader nodded absently ; he suddendly remembered how much he hated the planet. Luke turned once more towards the window, trying to catch as many hints of the planet as he could. The view was like a dream to him.   
  
In order to ignore the fact that neither his crew nor the Emperor would be pleased by the sudden appearance of a child in Darth Vader's life, the Dark Lord focused all his attention on his son. 'Look there. This way'. His gloved finger was pointing at the side of the planet. 'Can you see the night falling ?' 

Luke obeyed and saw it was true. On his right, the planet was darker. A bit on the left, it was between night and day -- the twilight. 

'Can we say that the day is falling too ?' 

'No. The day does not fall. And your point of view is untrue'. He pointed at the twin suns. 'Look -- from the position of the suns and the way the shuttle follows, you can find out where the day will come'. He realized his sentence was probably confused to the little boy ; hence he used the Force to give through his mind a little astronomy lesson. The child's eyes grew wide, but he understood. 

'If we stayed here long enough, then we will see the day getting up ?' 

Vader smiled under his mask. The child's patterns of speech were indeed distracting. 'Yes,if we remained here long enough, we could see the day break. But not today. Not now'. 

Pulling the child back on his seat against his will proved to be a hard task. 

'But I want to see the stars again' Luke was whining. 'You can't see the stars when you're in hyperspace'. 

Oh. So he knew that. But did he know what could be seen from hyperspace too ? Smiling in anticipation at the child's reaction, Vader concentrated back on the here and now -- id est convincing the child to sit down before he ruined all the authority Vader had gained upon his men. Feeling his patience flee, he used the Force to sit the boy down on his seat before he felt like using it to crush his throat. He really was as stubborn as his parents.   
The use of the Force made the child's eyes grow wide once more, but less than the previous times, noticed Vader. He was getting used to the feeling. Good.   
  
The shuttle entered the Star Destroyer's hangar bay after a short troubleless trip. Vader had ordered that no escort would wait for him once there -- he feared the boy would get frightened. Luke was already comparing the Adamant to a cruel bird of prey that swallowed the shuttle and its occupants 'in less than one gulp' -- Vader could not find any good reason to let the child's imagination create any more stupid stories out of the Empire facilites. He smirked. The child probably didn't even know what a bird of prey was like.   
  
But Luke knew well what a bird of prey was like -- he had seen two of them in a book Aunt Beru had shown him. What he also knew was that the detail that had awoken the memory of the bird of prey in his mind was the behaviour of the man sitting beside him. How -- he didn't know. The birds in the book were not moving. Then he remembered. The kind voice of his aunt had read the lines next to the pictures and from the depths of the desert, the lonely man can see his fate coming, through the soar of the bird of prey He missed Aunt Beru's voice. He missed her, in fact. 

'Why didn't you ask Aunt Beru to come with us too ?'   
  
Surprised by the sudden change of subject -- Luke's last question had been 'What do birds of prey eat, besides shuttle with people in them ?' -- Vader mused that the child at least remembered his guardians. He gave his son no reply. Oddly enough, his son did not ask again. Vader felt a little guilty. He sighed and asked the child a question he felt he should have asked long before. 

'What's your name ?' 

The child looked up and mumbled 'Luke'. 

'Luke Skywalker' the Dark Lord said out loud. He liked the sound of this name. 

'How do you know it is Skywalker ?' the child asked, suddendly excited again. 

Vader almost laughed out loud, but thought that both the child and his men would not appreciate that. He only grinned through his mask, his eyes shining, feeling suddendly very attached to the child beside him. 'That's a secret', he replied. 

'A secret ? Nobody ever told me a secret before'. Luke was even more excited this time. 'I'm sure I can very well keep your secret. Please ? It will be safe, I promise !' 

Vader was on the point of answering something when the shuttle touched the ground. He remembered where he was, and his responsabilities. The taking off was reaching his end, and soon they would leave the relative safety of the shuttle. Soon, Vader would have to report to the Emperor. He would have to tell him that he had no physical proof, but that he highly suspected the chattering child he had brought with him to be his son. Once it was done... the master would take his decision. And Vader would obey. Whatever was the decision. Whatever was the price to pay. 

  
  
Darth Vader suddendly felt very old. 

Still holding his son's hand, Vader lead Luke to his private chambers aboard the Adamant. They walked through the ship's cold corridors, receiving startled glances from the crew members they happened to meet. Luke was startled too : the ship was nothing like the places he had visited before. The child had not decided yet if this ship was an awesome place -- or an awful one.   
  
Vader wanted to quicken his pace, to be sure to reach his quaters before the Adamant made the jump into hyperspace, but he felt Luke wouldn't follow ; the child hardly managed to keep up with his usual long strides. Boiling deep inside, Vader was trying to at least _look_ calm. However, he couldn't. Not when so many questions remained unanswered. Thinking of Luke's reaction in front of the beauty of the jump was a way to avoid thinking of the Emperor's reaction once he knew about the child. Vader had to admit to himself that he was scared. He knew he wasn't supposed to hold dear anyone, but Force ! Luke was his son... Probably the only child he would ever have. It was not as though he was any threat to the Empire. Vader had joined the Empire to restore the order the Republic had not be able to keep, and he would not let anyone, not even his son, destroy all he had worked killed for. Anyway, Luke was no threat. He was just a child. An innocent child. Even if he stays alive, he won't remain innocent for long and some day he would be strong enough to protect the Empire like his father did. It would be good, indeed, that Luke Skywalker stayed alive.   
  
Vader did not let go of Luke's hand while he absently typed the code allowing them to enter his quaters. He felt oddly... protective towards the child. They walked into the room, Luke's mouth hanging open. The first furniture he could see -- the only one which could be seen in this room besides the computers, actually -- was Vader's meditation pod. Luke had never seen anything like that, and without knowing why, he hated the pod at the first sight. Vader did not let him think further about the pod though. The child still by his side, he walked across the room until they reached another door. Vader stopped at the entrance, looked down at his son, and smiled. Luke, rather confused, pushed the door.   
  
The new chamber was nothing like the previous one. The grey walls and the lack of 'real' furnitures was the same, but the place was different.   
  
The far end wall was a huge window and they could see the stars, an eternity of stars. Luke ran there and stuck his nose to the widow. It was beautiful ! He felt very, very excited...   
  
'How many are they ?'   
  
Vader smiled. 'No one knows. The Universe is vast.' He stepped closer to Luke and put a gloved hand on his shoulder. 'Do you recognize any of them ?'   
  
'No, not really. Do they all have a system of planets ?'   
  
It sounded like a conversation from the past. 'Most of them have several planets orbiting around them, but a great majority of planets have no inhabitant.'   
  
'Why ?'   
  
'Because the gravity or the temperature is too high or too low, because the air is bad to breath, or for any other reason actually. If a planet isn't pleasant enough, there still are many other planets that await to be colonized instead.'   
  
The next question, asked in a soft voice, was far less expected. 'What do you breathe ?'   
  
'What ?!'   
  
'Uncle Owen told me that people wear a mask when they cannot breathe a place's air. What do you breathe ?' Vader remained silent. 'You cannot breathe oxygene, I do, and I breathe well here.'   
  
Vader closed his eyes under his mask. The old pain was threatening to come back. The phantom pain, the endless suffering he had felt when he had fallen, added to the unfamiliar pain of being cut off the living. A pain he had not cared to aknowledge for years.   
  
His son would never see his face. He would never look at him straight in the eyes. Or maybe he would, some day, when he'd die. Too late.   
  
No, he would not let that happen. He owed it to Luke. The child deserved to know his father -- the man, not the Sith warrior. The problem being that the man was dead reported missing and could no be brought back. *I'm sorry Luke*. Could the child understand what had happened to him ?   
  
'I breathe oxygen too. But I need the aid of a machine to breathe'.   
  
'Why ?'   
  
The older Skywalker sighed. 'I had an accident, and I was badly hurt.'   
  
Luke turned around and stared at the black mask. He could feel the man was in pain, and oddly enough, the pain brought more Light in all his Grey. Then Vader's anger came back, all along with the funny feelings, and the Grey grew deeper. Almost Black. Luke shivered and turned to look at the stars.   
  
'I'm sorry', he whispered softly. 

That hurt. If anyone but Luke had told him 'I'm sorry', he would have laughed nastily - before killing the one on the spot. If anyone but Luke had shown sympathy to him, his anger would have increased to no end. He _did not_ want to be considered as a cripple. He was young, he had his life ahead of him, and above all, he was powerful. His health was not as good as it should be ? Blame it on the Jedi. And may the Force curse them all !   
  
His anger decreased slowly. Luke was _not_ anyone. He was his son. He would not kill his son out of anger, no. He would kill him if his master asked him, he would kill him if he happened to be a threat, but not because he had shown sympathy to him sympathy is the path to love he was just a child, after all. He had just tried to be kind ; he was still too young to understand that sometimes, kindness may hurt a lot more than plain hatred.   
  
Though in his case, hatred would hurt too, somehow, Vader mused. Luke's hatred would have hurt Padmé, as her husband's lack of love had hurt her by the end. He clenched his fists in anger. Had she really loved him, she would not have hidden his son from him. One more betrayal.   
  
It was almost dark now, and Luke was cluntching to the bright spots of the stars in the sky. He was cold, he was afraid the dark would engulf him. Why were the stars so small ?   
  
'Where is Tatooine ?' he whispered. Tatooine was still close, its suns would provide some light. No answer. The man was lost in the dark, Luke understood. He would not hear him, unless Luke came into the dark too. He turned to face the man and took his gloved hand. 'Where are the suns ?' he repeated, not really expecting an answer. He was right. The answer was not to come. The man was too dark, too angry. Luke could understand that. It was probably not funny to wear a mask everyday on every planet. Luke enjoyed wearing a mask sometimes, to make jokes to Aunt Beru for instance, but it must be irritating to wear one everyday. How could the man sleep with the mask by the way ?   
  
It hurt. The man had clenched his fists, oblivious to Luke's small hand trapped in his own. Luke felt something crack, and feared his fingers were broken. He did not stay long on that painful thought though. Pain would provide more dark, and he didn't want to be dark. He had thought about that, and reached the conclusion that the man's dark would decrease some time anyway. Until then, he could bear the pain.   
  
Another pain invaded his own. The pain of a physical injury. Thrown out of his angry mood, Vader looked down at his small son and saw the little hand crushed in his strong glove. He quickly released his grip when he caught a glimpse of something with the corner of his eye. 'Look', he said, making Luke turn around quickly. The child almost lost his balance, and Vader held his shoulders in order to stabilize him. The Adamant had entered hymerspace, and the sea of stars had melted into a marvelous kaleidoscope of colours. Luke gasped. How was such a miracle possible ? Just a moment ago, there had just been dark and spots of light. Now there were infinite waves of a coloured midst.   
  
'Black and white are not colours' explained the deep voice behind Luke's back. 'I cannot explain you light ; it is a concept I am not sure I still understand'. Vader paused at the double meaning of his words. Then he went on. 'Black is not really a colour in the sense that it is created by a melt of colours. Add all the colours on a same spot, and you will obtain black. If you decompose black, then you have all the colours back. This is what happens in hyperspace.'   
  
They silently drank the beauty of the moment for a while, each one lost in his own musings. Then the child's voice raised.   
  
'Light is a rainbow.' There were many things he wanted to say, but he couldn't find his words. However, he knew the man could understand.   
  
They kept looking on the space through the window until Vader cut the moment.   
  
'Come. We have to heal this hand.'   
  
He felt no guilt. It was a fact. Or maybe he felt a hint of guilt for not being able to show the jump to the child.   


  
Anyway the hand would heal.   


'Ouch !' Luke's eyes were shining with tears and his mouth was pouting ; still he looked determined not to cry. He was just discovering that healing could hurt more than an effective injury -- a painful lesson, if you would ask him.   
  
'You can cry, you know. You are just a boy, after all.'   
  
The child sent his unknown father a stern look which made Vader shrugged. He was just discovering how stubborn his little son could be. Luke had decided he would not cry, then he would _not_ cry. Period.   
  
'Okay, so don't cry, as you wish.'   
  
'I am a _boy_ ! _You_ just said it ! Boys do not cry, even if they hurt !'   
  
Veder ended bandaging the fingers then gazed at his son. 'It is not as though you did not feel like crying. You want to cry. Don't be hypocritical, that's all.'   
  
'I'm _not_ hycritical ! And I want Aunt Beru. I want to come back home !'   
  
This time Luke did burst into tears and his father stared at him, dumbstuck. Was raising a small child like that every days ? He certainly hoped not ; he had never been the patient one, and could not see him standing that for long. However, he could sympathize. He had left his home very young too, and even if he refused to let himself think and feel the way he had at this moment, he still remembered the pain. Though the situation had been different : he had left his _mother_ ! His real mother, his real family. Who did the child think he was leaving ? And who did he think he was going with ?   
  
Vader suddendly remembered Luke didn't know who he was. And considering the tauntrum the child was busy with, telling him now would be of no help. *Calm down, Vader* he admonished himself.   
  
He abruptly stood up and left the place, letting the child alone. A moment later he came back, swearing to himself that guilt was not what was leading him there. He held a handkerchief out to the child. Luke looked at him with his teary eyes, and met the man's gaze ; he did not move.   
  
'Take it !' Vader snapped angrily.   
  
The child pouted once more and Vader knew he would start crying anew. Great. When he had told the boy he could cry, he had not expected anything like that. On top Luke was noisy. Really wonderful.   
  
'Listen, if you feel like crying all the trip, that's you're choice. But I don't exactly feel like holding that thing out all this time. So if you want it then you take it now. Is that clear ?'   
  
'You're nasty, nasty, nasty and I don't like you !' Luke yelled, running away to the room with the view.   
  
Vader knelt motionless for a while, then he got up slowly. *No, I will not mind if he doesn't like me I care he may die soon anyway.* I really care He felt something inside of him, something like… hurt ? He had not hurt because of any sentimental reason since he had joined the Sith, why would he hurt now ?   
  
Anger. His rage increased. Had his son been with him from the begining, things would be diffrent now. Everything always came back to the Jedi. They would never pay enough for that. If his master decided Luke was to be killed it would be _their_ fault. They had always destructed everything he'd had. His family included. The Jedi. The real curse of the Galaxy.   
  
  
A quater of an hour later, a calmed and somehow shameful Darth Vader entered the room his son had taken refuge into. He found Luke huddled up in a corner, head resting on his knees, shivering. The child did not look up at him. Guilt flew once more through Vader as he saw the pale boy shaking I'm very cold he had lived that situation before, and should have thought of how cold his son must feel. His heart wrung. He silently took a blanket and wrapped Luke up. This time, the child did look up. His eyes were so sad ! Vader picked him up and carried him to a bunk. Luke fell asleep on the spot. His father looked on him fondly, a small smile on his lips. He ruffled the child's blond hair and stroke his cheek, wondering how he'd lived all those years without his son.   
  
No, he would not let the boy be killed. Luke would turn. He would stay alive. 

He had put Luke into a trance so as not to be disturbed while he was doing this.   
  
'I have heard your little trip on Tatooine was quite successful.'   
  
'Kenobi is dead, my master'.   
  
A pause. The Emperor was pleased. And thoughtful. 'Good. Have you discovered why the Jedi chose that very planet ?'   
  
'I am not sure, my master.'   
  
Another pause. Palpatine was thinking hard. 'You should be sure, Lord Vader. Or is there something else you are hiding from me ?'   
  
Vader shifted uncomfortably from one foot to another. Was he really hiding Luke ? 'I have discovered an unexpected presence on Tatooine. A presence linked to the Jedi's plan.'   
  
Palpatine had known the Jedi had a plan to destroy him from the moment he had revealed himself as the Sith Lord. Though this would never be said out loud, Vader knew his Emperor was afraid. The Jedi thought gettting the Galaxy rid of the Sith was their duty. And they did have the power to fulfil that self-inflicted duty.   
  
'An unexpected presence ?' The question was purely rhetoric -- and extremly sarcastic.   
  
'A child, my master. I think he may be their Son of the Suns.'   
  
' '...And in the time of greatest despair there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as : the Son of the Suns'. And you did not destroy him. Why ?'   
  
Vader shifted once more. 'If he could be turned, he would be a powerful ally.'   
  
Palpatine cracked a dark smile. 'I already have a powerful ally, Vader. So ? What have you done wih this child ?'   
  
'He is on the Adamant, my master.'   
  
'Then you can kill him now.'   
  
*It is not that easy, my master* Vader thought. He inhaled deeply. 'There is something else.' It was hard to go on.   
  
'What is it, Vader ?' Palpatine inquired coldly.   
  
Vader looked up at the holographic image of the other Sith Lord. 'The child's name is Luke Skywalker.' Palpatine gasped and Vader went on. 'He is my son, Master.'   
  
Sidious sent his apprentice the coldest look he had had in his whole life. The younger man felt chills running down his spine. He silently prayed he would not have to undergo the Emperor's wrath. Palpatine could be extremly cruel when displeased.   
  
He silently prayed _Luke_ would never have to know that.   
  
'What is _ your_ plan, Vader ?'   
  
The voice was still cold, but at least the Dark Lord had the right to talk.   
  
'If he can be trained in the Dark Side, then he will be powerful enough to help us to erase the Jedi.'   
  
The answer was automatic. 'There can be only two Sith, Vader.'   
  
'He doesn't have to become a Sith, Master. A Dark Jedi will be enough.'   
  
Palpatine took his time to think. 'We will discuss that once you are back in Imperial Center. Dismissed.' 

Vader stared at the blank spot where his master's face had been. He could not allow himself to feel relieved yet. Though he felt indeniably lighter.   
  
He got up and walked to his son's bunk.   
  
'Time to get up, child.'   
  
'Huh ? what ze time ?'   
  
'What time is it' Vader corrected. He did not want his son to speak a too familiar language in Coruscant. 'It is late.'   
'Not late enough.' The child turned his back to Vader, moaning 'want more rest.'   
  
'Don't you even want to eat something ?'   
  
Luke's eyes popped open. He suddendly felt very awake.   
  
'It's breakfast ? dinner ? eat what ?'   
  
Vader laughed softly at the child's sudden excitatement.   
  
'I'll have something prepared. You get up.' He remembered something before leaving. 'And wash your hands.'   
  
Luke jumped out of the bunk. 'Yes Sir ! err, where ?'   
  
'Humpf. Come one.'   
  
'Yes sir' Luke smiled, catching up with Vader. Then he asked more seriously 'Do you always give orders ?'   
  
'What ?!'   
  
'You know, children don't like being given orders. I don't.' A pause. 'Many grown-ups don't either I guess.'   
  
'I don't either. That's why I give them.'   
  
'Are you always obeyed ?'   
  
'Most of the time, yes.'   
  
'Oh. Your life must be boring then.'   
  
*And you will change that, huh ?* Vader thought but he said nothing.   
  
'Have you ever been given an order ?'   
  
'I am still given order, child.'   
  
'Do you obey ?'   
  
'Yes I do.'   
  
'Why, if you don't like being given orders ?'   
  
The had reached the 'fresher by this time and Vader opened the door. 'Do you always do what you want ? Don't you ever think some people might know better than you what has to be done ?'   
  
'Sure.'   
  
'Then you have your anwser. Get in there.'   
  
' 'kay.'   


  
  
Watching his son eating was a pleasure Darth Vader would never have imagined. Luke looked as though he had not eaten for months. He was very funny. Suddendly, the boy looked up and stopped.   
  
'You're not eating ?'   
  
'I can't.' Vader pointed at the mask.   
  
'Oh.'   
  
An uneasy silence fell. They both remembered their previous argument, and did not want to repeat it. So Vader asked casually 'Do I miss anything ?'   
  
'Nah, not much. My aunt cooks better.' Luke grinned 'There's nothing like her bantha stew.'   
  
So the Lars could buy meat after all ? Vader had not thought they could afford it. Luke was going on.   
  
'All I know avbout that stuff is that it's no bantha stew.' He made a face 'I hope so, a least. Do you know what… what that _might_ be ?'   
  
'Something highly nutritional I guess.'   
  
'Highly what ???'   
  
Vader chuckled. 'Forget it.'   
  
'Do you always use weird words like that ?'   
  
Vader smirked. 'I practice a formal language.'   
  
Luke made another funny face. 'So you mean you don't speak like the other people ?'   
  
'I do not speak like the people you knew on Tatooine.'   
  
'Really ?' the excited Luke was back. 'How do you say, I'm very very angry ?'   
  
'I'm starving.'   
  
Luke laughed. 'Even you accent is weird' he said.   
  
Vader rolled his eyes. 'The people we will meet on Coruscant speak like that too, and I strongly advise you not to laugh at them.'   
  
'Do not worry' Luke grinned 'I am actually getting used to it.'   
  
'Good. Because some of them might make you pay if you laugh at them.'   
  
'No one enjoys being laughed at.'   
  
'But some people make you feel that more than others.'   
  
Luke stared at his father in awe. 'Do they frighten you ?'   
  
Fear is the path to the Dark Side 'No, but they could frighten you…'   
  
'I'm never afraid !'   
  
'… and they could hurt you a lot…'   
  
'Good people do not hit children !'   
  
'… even make you cry…'   
  
'I do not cry !'   
  
'Oh really ?'   
  
Luke pouted then burst into laughers. Vader was grinning too. He was surprisingly pleased by the relationship he was developing with his son. Laughers were the path to trust, he thought, delighted by the idea that his son could trust him. It was a strange feeling, one he was not used to anymore. Trust. His smile faded as he turned his attention back to the child. Luke had stopped laughing too. Vader shyly stroke his son's mind before asking :   
  
'Do you want to learn how to do that ?'   
  
Luke gaped when he saw the plate flying upon the table. It was amazing ! He had never seen anything like that…   
'I could do that ?'   
  
'Of course you could. You have the Force.'   
  
'The Force ?'   
  
'Yes. You can feel people touching your mind, can't you ?'   
  
'Yes…'   
  
'And you can know how the people around you feel.'   
  
'Yes, but what does it have to do with making plates fly ?'   
  
'You can feel those things because the Force is with you. And to make things fly, we use the Force.'   
  
'We ? how many people can do it ?'   
  
'Not much. You have a gift, Son.'   
  
Luke stared at him blanky. Son… it felt so… right coming from this man. Luke suddendly wished his father was still alive and was there with him to teach him the Force.   
  
'Will you teach me ?'   
  
'Of course I will.'   
  
'When ?'   
  
'We can start now, if you want to.'   
  
'Yes, great ! but… may I finish my plate before ?'   
  
Vader smiled. 'Go ahead. We have all the time until we reach Coruscant, after all.' *I hope we will still have time _after_ we've reached Coruscant.*   


He was good. Very good indeed. Luke had quiclky forgotten he wanted to sleep as soon as Vader had offered him to gain a new power -- that was the way Vader would present things to his Emperor, actually. He knew Luke saw the Force more like some kind of a new game, and was afraid the child would get tired of this game too soon. Especially when it would come to use the Dark Side. 

Luke had some sort of special relationship to the Force it flew through him very naturally. When he was rather calm, at least. As soon as he got a bit irritated he would lose the contact. Vader would almost compare that to some sort of a natural system of protection against the Dark Side. He knew the boy would come to use it some day -- he hoped so, at least -- but he woud have to overcome this strange defence before. That was a new sort of challenge, and Vader was sure it was the kind of challenge that would displease the Emperor. Though, apart from that conspicuous incapacity towards using the Force when he was getting angry, the child was doing very well. They had been practicing together for the past two hours, and Luke was already lifting his plate and glass high over the table. Vader had forbidden him to try with the knife -- and Luke had eagerly obeyed. He knew knives could hurt, he was even surprised he'd been allowed to use one at the first place.

Vader was pulled out of his musings when the plate fell loudly on the table. The man reached out to prevent the glass from falling too, which made the boy blush.

'Sorry…'

'That was a very good beginning, Son.'

'Thanks sir !'

Luke's smile…. whose was this ? Anakin's ? Padmé's ? It looked so familiar…

'That was enough for today, boy. '

'Okay. We will do that again, won't we ?' Luke asked.

'Of course we will. But now, you must feel tired, don't you ?' A yawn answered him. He smiled. 'Go back to sleep, it's getting late.'

'Yes sir.' Luke got up and left.

'And don't call me sir' Vader whispered once he was alone. He had to tell the child the truth but how ?

The following morning, a very surprised Darth Vader found a small boy waiting for him when he opened his door. 

'Already awake ?'

Luke only nodded he was too busy staring at the man's face to speak with words. Vader stared back. He was not wearing his mask.

After a while, the boy whispered 'We have the same eyes.' There was no disgust in his voice. He was neither looking at the scars, nor at the pipes hanging from Vader's neck, only at his eyes. Ice blue eyes. So very similar to his own. He knew, Vader realized. He knew and he didn't know how to ask.

'Do you want to lift more plates before we reach Coruscant ?'

'No. I want to know who you are.'

Vader took his son in his arms and looked at him at eyes level.

'Milord… it's not your name, is it ?'

Vader smiled slightly. 'It isn't. It's a title.'

'Please, answer. Who are you ?' 

Luke's voice was pleading something had changed during the night. His father smiled warmly and carried the boy to his room. 'Why don't you tell me more about this dream instead ?'

The child sighed. 'You don't want to answer me.' 

They were both sitting on Vader's bed now, and Luke had not looked on his surroundings yet. He seemed obsessed by his question. 

'It's not that I don't want to answer you, child. I do not know how to answer. Do you understand ?'

Luke stared at the other's eyes and nodded. He asked softly 'The, who were you ?'

Vader blinked and held his son tight. 'I've changed a lot throughout my life, Luke. But one thing will never change. You know that, don't you ?'

Luke fiercely held the man too, before murmuring 'yes Daddy.'

'You have started training the child.' The Emperor's yellow eyes were full of the Dark Side -- fear, anger, hate desire of agression. Vader lowered his head even more.

'Yes, my master.'

'I told you we were to discuss that in Imperial Center. Was it too hard to wait a few more days ?'

Luke's head popped through the ajar door. Cold, he felt so cold…

*Don't get in Luke*

'You have failed me, Vader. I am very disappointed in you.'

Vader felt he had to answer but found nothing polite to say. His son, they were talking about _his_ son ! 

'The child will be executed. Now.'

Vader looked up, his breath quickening. Still he said nothing.

'Have you heard me, Lord Vader ?'

Hate. There was only blank hate in the man's voice. Tears started running down Luke's cheeks.His father took the necessary decision.

'Vader out.' He got up and cut the communication.

Troubles. They were in big troubles.

'What's wrong with him ?' Luke asked as soon as he felt his father's strong arms holding him.

'He is jealous. Don't worry.'

Luke held his dad tighter, and Vader tensed. He felt full of hate, and knew he had to get rid of it quickly. 'Wait here' he said, trying to put the child down. 

'No.'

'Luke !' Vader was exasperated. Didn't the child see how precarious their situation was ?

'He's talking to the others, Daddy, I'm afraid.'

Vader closed his eyes. It was easy, it had to be easy. He inhaled as deeply as he could and forced himself to relax. 

And he felt it. The stars twinkling at the back of his mind shone brighter, until they took the whole place. He let go of his hate, forgot all the suffering, and let the light come in. He felt he understood life again. The feeling was so intoxicating he had to sit down. A huge smile crept on his face.

'Daddy ?'

No reply. The Force was flowing through him like before, and it was good. No lust, no corruption, only the pure Force.

'Daddy what's going on ?'

He saw the doors opening, the men holding blasters, and felt fear, Luke's fear, his fear. Fear is the path to the Dark Side Fear had cursed him once before, he would not let that happen again *there is no fear, there is no fear* He could get up and throw his saber at them, or he could choke them, but he did not want to do that, not again. *Get up and fight !* Everything was going on slowly, so slowly…

He suddendly realized what he was about to do. He was on the point of letting those men kill them, he and his son. It was unfair for Luke the child had not even lived yet. He could not let them do that.

Things started moving at a normal speed again. He got up quickly and pulled his son behind him, lightsaber ignitiated.

'What is it, Lieutenant ?' 

Vader's voice. Always that voice.

'We have orders to get rid of a Jedi apprentice hidden on this ship, My Lord.'

He lowered his saber but did not switch it off. He put his left arm around Luke's shoulders and let the men see him.

'Are you talking about this child ?'

The lieutenant shifted on his feet, ill-at-ease.

'I think so, My Lord. Is that child named Skywalker ?'

Luke hid behind his father's cape. An uneasy silence fell no one dared talking. All that could be heard was a strange breather sound. 

'The orders are that the child will never reach Imperial Center, aren't they ?' the black-clad man finally asked. The lieutenant gave a short nod. Those were the words the Emperor had employed. 'Then I suggest you to go to the bridge and order the crew to change our course.'

'My Lord ?'

'Dismissed, Lieutenant Veers.'


	3. Epilogue

__From the depths of one's heart__

__From the depths of one's heart__

_Epilogue_

He felt melancholic. When the Captain had asked what was their new destination he had answered Alderaan. It was an obvious choice for Anakin, one Vader would never have made. 

He was looking on Luke playing with the princess, the two children running and laughing in the palace gardens. They looked happy together.

'You took the good decision.'

'I still wish there was another choice.' 

Bail Organa had not been happy to see him first, but his mood had softened when he had seen Luke. He too knew the child could not be allowed anywhere close to Palpatine. He had witnessed what had happened to his father. 'I have contacted a few friends. Don't worry, he will be taken care of.'

'Where ?'

'You should not know. Who knows what will happen on Coruscant…'

Anakin Skywalker sighed deeply. He walked to his small son and called him. 'Luke ?'

'Daddy, look at this place ! There is grass, and flowers, and even a lake !'

A bittersweet smile crept on Anakin's face. 'Luke, I'm leaving.'

Luke's smile faded. 'Already ?' 

A nod. 

'The it is a good bye, isn't it ?'

'Yes.'

'Do you really have to ?'

'Yes.'

The Chosen One. He had to come back and right the wrongs he had helped creating. He just hoped he would not fall again.

'I'll miss you Daddy.'

Anakin knelt and held him tight. Then he reached out to Leia. 'Take care of him Priness, will you ?'

'Yes sir I promise.'

'Good bye then, children. May the Force be with you.'

He got up and left without looking back. 

Once in his shuttle, he whispered 'I love you two.' 

_Fin_ 

**Note : ** I really don't have time to write more now, but this apparently won't be a definitive end – unless no one wants to see a sequel, of course =D I think it'll just be a story in several parts the first part is now over, and Anakin will face the Sith in the next one. Is it all good with you guys ?

Take care everyone, good luck to those who have exams, and enjoy the spring you all =)

Twinnie-


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